A small studio with muddy hands
Kiln & Clay began in a shared garage in 2017 with one second-hand wheel. Today it is two potters, one kiln and a shop at the front of the studio on Gloucester Road.
Why we keep it small
We could send our designs to a factory and sell them for less. But a factory would not leave the throwing lines on a bowl, or the thumbprint at the base of a handle, and those are the details people tell us they love.
So we make in small firings of a few dozen pieces, sell them here and online, and start again. When a glaze sells out, it is often gone until next season.
How a pot is made
- 1
Wedge & throw
Clay is wedged by hand to push out air, then thrown on the wheel. Bigger pieces are thrown in two sections and joined while soft.
- 2
Trim & dry
Once leather-hard, each pot is turned upside down and trimmed to give it a foot. Then it dries slowly under plastic for a week.
- 3
Bisque & glaze
A first firing to 1,000 °C makes the clay porous enough to take glaze. We dip or pour every piece by hand.
- 4
Glaze firing
The final firing goes to 1,260 °C over twelve hours and takes another day to cool. Opening the kiln never stops being exciting.
Come and see the kiln
Our shop sits at the front of the studio, so you can watch pots being thrown while you browse. Seconds and one-offs are only sold in person.
214 Gloucester RoadBristol BS7 8NU- Thursday – Saturday10am – 5pm
- Sunday11am – 3pm
- Monday – WednesdayClosed, we're at the wheel
